I Am Livid With The Citizen's Advice Bureau!
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
June 17, 2010 6:34pm CST
On the whole I have had a positive outlook this week. Refused to let myself become cheesed off with anything..until I rang the Citizen's Advice Bureau.
Now, this came about after I rang the JobCentre last Friday asking if there was any help for people in my age group that have been unemployed a fair while. I was told "no" due to not claiming any benefits. Anyway, the guy gave me the Citizen's AdviceLine Number so I rang it, only to be told that the line is only open on Thursdays between 10am - 4pm.
Whilst I was watching the World Cup this afternoon on telly I suddenly remembered that I had to ring the Citizen's Advice Bureau...so I did.
What ensued can only be described as a farce. Yet again I was greeted with the same recorded message that I'd had last Friday, telling me to ring on a Thursday! HUH?! I just did! Worse still, I was reliably informed via this same recording that Voicemail was "not available at present" so no messages could be left for someone to ring me back! How bl**dy convenient...for them at least!
On the website it has exactly the same number on there that I had rang so I could not contact them. It took me a while under "Contact Us" to find an online form to fill in, so I decided to have a little rant, telling them that their organisation is a joke and if they paid their staff instead of relying on volunteers for the "service" then it might improve.
It's a good job I didn't walk to the place because I bet it was shut!
Do you ever come across organisations like this that are - supposedly, there to help the citizens but, in fact do the exact opposite?
Now, this came about after I rang the JobCentre last Friday asking if there was any help for people in my age group that have been unemployed a fair while. I was told "no" due to not claiming any benefits. Anyway, the guy gave me the Citizen's AdviceLine Number so I rang it, only to be told that the line is only open on Thursdays between 10am - 4pm.
Whilst I was watching the World Cup this afternoon on telly I suddenly remembered that I had to ring the Citizen's Advice Bureau...so I did.
What ensued can only be described as a farce. Yet again I was greeted with the same recorded message that I'd had last Friday, telling me to ring on a Thursday! HUH?! I just did! Worse still, I was reliably informed via this same recording that Voicemail was "not available at present" so no messages could be left for someone to ring me back! How bl**dy convenient...for them at least!
On the website it has exactly the same number on there that I had rang so I could not contact them. It took me a while under "Contact Us" to find an online form to fill in, so I decided to have a little rant, telling them that their organisation is a joke and if they paid their staff instead of relying on volunteers for the "service" then it might improve.
It's a good job I didn't walk to the place because I bet it was shut!
Do you ever come across organisations like this that are - supposedly, there to help the citizens but, in fact do the exact opposite?3 responses
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
18 Jul 10
sounds like they might have been watching the cup too!
oh yes.practically any agency in the US...
pick one.i think they purposely fart around so you'll give up.
oh yes.practically any agency in the US...
pick one.i think they purposely fart around so you'll give up.@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
18 Jul 10
It seems to me that the poorer a nation becomes the less help the citizens get...not right is it?
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
24 Jul 10
yup.because the ones in control start hoarding for themselves.
i can't tell you how many times the employees from the food bank here have been caught swiping the best donations for themselves and giving their friends extra.
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
24 Jun 10
Well that's frustrating. I have run into that situation where I got the "we are closed and our business hours are..." recording during business hours. Very, very annoying. I haven't had any personal experiences like that, but I know my husband used to hate like crazy having to go to the immigration office in Los Angeles for anything because the people were just so rude.
@udayrao2 (781)
• India
19 Jun 10
HI
I think that this sort of thing happens a lot everywhere around the world.
I had similar experiences in the past, not only in the city where I was born and bred and now living, but also in other cities where I have stayed during my working days. It is the same story; that may be because such help agencies are run by volunteers who are really not bothered or do not care or the people handling these queries etc are low paid and there is no real supervisor - for all you know they may be moonlighting on this job too!!! So I've given up on these.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
19 Jun 10
Yes, I think there will be a problem with staff morale as some will get paid and some will not. This is something I think should be addressed. Either ALL of them should be volunteers or ALL of them should get paid. That will improve morale overnight in my opinion. I should imagine the volunteers get all the flack too which is something else that is wrong.
Oh well, there's a job I'm going for in a Building Society where training is offered. Let's hope I get in and also that they are true to their word. The times I've been interviewed for a job with training then they give it someone with recent experience isn't funny!
Mind you, I have to fill the application form in first...mustn't get too far ahead of myself!
Oh well, there's a job I'm going for in a Building Society where training is offered. Let's hope I get in and also that they are true to their word. The times I've been interviewed for a job with training then they give it someone with recent experience isn't funny! Mind you, I have to fill the application form in first...mustn't get too far ahead of myself!